The present invention relates to a so-called intelligent-type IC card containing at least an IC circuit and a battery to allow selection of an application, and also to an IC card system using the intelligent type IC card.
These days are called a "cashless era," and users can purchase desired items by using a card issued by a credit company without using cash.
The existing cards are a plastic card, an embossed card, a magnetic-stripe card, and the like. These cards can be easily counterfeited and often illegally used.
An information card called an IC card is proposed wherein an IC circuit for storing a password is incorporated in the card, and the password is not easily read out. An IC card system as a combination of such an IC card and a terminal has been developed.
Such a conventional IC card system does not have a power source. The card cannot be operated by itself. For this reason, all applications to be designated in the IC card are stored in a terminal. However, in practice, when such applications are stored in the terminal, the information stored in the terminal greatly increases. This makes the IC card system impractical. In a conventional IC card system, versatility of the IC card and the terminal is lost, thus resulting in inconvenience.
A so-called intelligent-type IC card has been proposed in recent years. A power source is built in the IC card to allow designation of an application therein, and designation information is sent from the IC card to a terminal.
Since an IC card has a thin shape, the power source comprises a small-capacity paper battery. Power consumption in the card determines the service life of the battery. In the worst case, practicality of the card itself may be lost.